unarrowed it down some more

[mollykins]

I've just found out that bangor do ocean science aswell . . . I'm back up to 11 courses . . . Whats the best approach to narrowing down uni choices?

Perhaps write them in order of best to worst in several different aspects . . .

[mollykins]

sherrard neither part of oxbridge do courses I'd want to do. The cambridge I'm on about is the campus of Anglia Ruskin there . . .

[mollykins]

I don't think i can get all As so i wouldn't bother anyway . . .

[Prudie]

So molly what would you accept as a definitive answer that was of use to you? One of us actually telling you to do this course at that Uni?

[boxtops]

That's you narrowing then, molly.... I still think the entry criteria for the Uni are going to be an important aspect. It's more if they want you than if you want them, as to whether you get in.

[mollykins]

prudie with some of my threads such as this one there could be several answers and although i've had some good advice in general, no-ones given a specific answer to my actual question.

[boxtops]

That's because there is no one answer, molly - what will work for you might not work for us, and the final decision isn't yours in this case anyway, you end up applying for three or four places and then they decide.

[mollykins]

well I lie, scotman made a good suggestion, but at the moment I can't do it as i don't have enough info - sorry scoty.

[Postdog]

You know what, even with all the information in the world, I reckon you would still be confused...........just an impression I get.

[Dris]

Hey great observation PD -long time no see btw.Follower of Molly are you?

[mollykins]

quite likely PD, but the more info I have the easier it should be . . .

[boxtops]

Molly, the best way IMO would be for you to weight all the different aspects. We do this with contracts - the bidders reply, we've already decided which items are vital (scores 5), desirable (scores 3), nice options (scores 1). (That's putting it very simply).

You then look at all the bids (i.e. in your case, what each uni can offer against ALL the headings, course, accommodation, ease of travel back home, all your criteria) and mark across, on a separate set of numbers - 3 if it meets your requirements, 4 or 5 if it's over your requirements, 1 or 2 if it doesn't. Multiply the Uni score against the weighting and you get a score for that Uni, which you can match against the scores of the others. If you are doing this on Excel it's a doddle.

List your criteria down the side in col 1 - weighting in col 2. The Unis going along the top in the remaining columns, 2 per Uni. Cols 3 + 4 are for the first uni - col has their score (1-5) then in col 4 you multiply cols 2x3 (weighting x score) to give a result for that criterion. When you've done, run a total of col 4 for the overall score. Repeat for the remaining unis, compare the totals. You will see which ones score highest, very clearly.

[Postdog]

I try not to be Dris. I actually think she's sweet the way she asks all these things, but I have to be honest and say that after a while, whatever she says comes out as "are we there yet" , if you get my drift.

[DTCwordfan]

Boxtops is right - you can keep this simple by defining and weighting key categories like academic course, lecturer quality, research, Job search, sports, accommodation options, etc etc.....or make it more complex by a matrix where you define and weight key categories like academics, accommodation, social, university brand, graduate services and then break out and weight each category - say academics, course content, course research projects, lecturer reputation, exams vs continual assessment, academic facilities, turorial/personal coaching..........do this for each category and arrive at a sub category score and then add up the top level weighting. Again with excel a real doddle. - Could sell it to fellow candidate studs perhaps....

[DTCwordfan]

Hopefully that "unbroadens" it for you....but you do need to put the donkey work in as what is fit for the "goose is not fit for the gander."

Thanks as well Molly, your "unarrow" new word has given me an idea to post here later for some Saturday early evening frivolity

[sherrardk]

It's highly unlikey that you will be able to visit 11 different colleges/universities as they usually hold their open days on Wednesday (unless this has changed) and even if they are on different days you cannot justify missing over two weeks of school. You need to narrow them back down to the ones that are offering places which match your predicted grades. Then you should have a manageable short list.

[mollykins]

Sherrard a couple nearby are on different wednesdays and I can go to weekend ones for the rest and portsmouth and southampton have one on a friday then the other the saturday so I'll only miss a couple of days in total. I think we're only allowed 3 or 4 days off to go to them else it's unauthorised absence . . .

[PipinHull]

Oh for heaven's sake girl, just say thank you! It's not hard and might make some of the people who've spent a fair bit of time trying to help you feel as though you have an ounce of common courtesy.

[boxtops]

Thank you pipin, interesting that molly comments on sherrard's thread but not on my and DT's offerings of the "best approach" which she moaned that noone was giving her. I used this model of evaluation and it works - but hey ho, no surprise, molly doesn't actually want practical viable suggestions. Yeah but no but...

[DTCwordfan]

you guys may enjoy our Sat night competition, triggered my Molly's peculiar use of English.

[boxtops]

I'm on the case, DT.